Phyllis Webstad shares the story of the Orange Shirt with YCMS

September 21, 2018

On September 20, Phyillis Webstad, spokesperson for Orange Shirt Day, visited Yorkson Creek Middle School. This is one of her visits to Langley as part of her book-launch tour for The Orange Shirt Story published by Medicine Wheel Education. During the assembly she was also honoured with a blanket from the Kwantlen community, by Luke Dandurand.

She shared with the students the story of her experience with residential school, about her orange shirt, and about how the school affected her community.

“For the first time in four generations, our family has been able to live under one roof,” she said. Her grandmother, mother, and her son all attended residential school. Families were often separated during Phyllis’ childhood through residential schools or forced parental abandonment by the Canadian government.

On her first day of residential school, Phyllis told the story of how her favourite orange shirt was taken away and never returned. This moment was only the beginning of her bad experiences at the school.

Phyllis has written these experiences The Orange Shirt Story which is available in English, French, and Shuswap. A teaching curriculum is included with the book.

Phyllis will be sharing her experiences tomorrow during a public event at the United Churches of Langley in Murrayville. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased here: Eventbrite